Kinokima
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Posts posted by Kinokima
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I enjoyed Letter From an Unknown Woman but more for how the story was presented than the story itself, if that makes any sense.
Thinking about it after the movie I didn't really care for either character all that much (and I didn't think Fontaine or Jourdan were anything special) but the way Ophuls directed each scene was so mesmerizing.
I was also really impressed at age 31 Fontaine did really look like a young girl in those early scenes.
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I am not sure who I am blaming it on. I don't think it's a bad movie & it has it's moments. I just don't think it deserves some of the acclaim it gets. Although looking at it's IMDB rating (6.9/10) seems I am not alone.
I never saw Gypsy so I can't comment on that.
I do think in the case of My Fair Lady, Julie should have been cast but I think Audrey still did a great acting job considering. With Leslie being cast in Gigi it's a little different since Audrey's role in the Broadway play was not a singing role.
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No, although I love Audrey Hepburn, Leslie is very good in the role. The casting & performances are fine I just think the film is a bit too silly. It's definitely not my opinion of a great musical.
I don't really mind the dubbing of Leslie in this film or Audrey in My Fair Lady. That doesn't really bother me.
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I am really looking forward to seeing *Letter From an Unknown Woman* Tonight.
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> {quote:title=finance wrote:}{quote}
> GIGI is arguably the last of the great Hollywood musicals.
Considering My Fair Lady came afterwords (and I like it far more than Gigi) I would argue with that. The Julie Andrews Musicals like Sound of Music and Mary Poppins also came after Gigi.
Actually this is probably an unpopular opinion but I don't even think Gigi is that great. It has its moments (Thank Heavens for Little Girls is a great number) but overall I think it's cute yet nothing special.
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Ended up watching an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents from the 1st season called Breakdown. I picked it because not only does it star Joseph Cotten it was one of the episodes directed by Hitchcock.
I thought it was excellent very scary in the sense that you think what if something like that would happen to me. I also loved Hitchcock's closing narration
"Imagine if you can, the terror of being inside a television set, knowing that any moment, the viewer may shut you off and being powerless to prevent it. And I go through this every week"
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I love the *Back to the Future* Movies. They are just pure fun!
This is kind of off topic from movies but has anyone read the *Hans Christian Anderson* story called The Goloshes of Fortune 1838 I believe it's one of the first stories to use the concept of time and space travel. You can think of it as a very early example of science fiction.
You can read it here http://hca.gilead.org.il/goloshes.html
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I loved Moulin Rouge but didn't care for Chicago (this second opinion puts me at odds with most of my friends).
My favorite musical is probably *Fiddler on the Roof* (which I see you don't have on your list). Other top favorites are: Singing in the Rain, My Fair Lady, & The King and I, & Meet Me in St. Louis.
And then a bunch of 30's musicals such as: The Smiling Lieutenant, Love Me Tonight, Gold Diggers of 1933, & Top Hat.
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> {quote:title=Arkadin wrote:}{quote}
> The majority of critics point out the flaws in Casablanca and don't consider it the greatest film, but note that it has an enduring quality. There are others who think it can do no wrong, and a small minority who hate it. I would say that I am in the first crowd.
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I probably like Casablanca more than you but I would actually consider myself to be in the first crowd as well. I do really like the movie a lot but it's not my personal favorite and I certainly don't think it is the best film ever made. It's probably not even in my top 10, maybe in my top 100.
I never really liked the term "greatest film ever made" (although I think Citizen Kane not Casablanca usually meets that description). I think we would be better off with a list of "the greatest" films without ranks because I just don't feel one film can really be the best. Although lists and ranks can be fun so I guess that's why we have them.
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My favorite thing about the "look" of Rashomon is seeing the sun shine down from the tree branches. That was some beautiful camera work.
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> {quote:title=Arkadin wrote:}{quote}
> American Idol was (and perhaps still is) the most popular show on television. That fact doesn't mean it has anything relevant to say, or that the music therein is of any value. TCM doesn't make the top 20 list of watched channels, but I consider it my personal favorite.
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> I don't think you can assess greatness by popularity.
Ah but American Idol is only popular when it comes to TV ratings. Casablanca is popular with critics and audiences. On audience polls (such as IMDB) it has a rating of 8.8/10 (American Idol has a rating of 4.9/10 in comparison).
Casablanca is also on several best lists such as AFI & TSPDT (the second list which includes Foreign & Hollywood films). Also American Idol is popular now, Casablanca is something that has remained popular over time.
As for how to measure greatness, well I would like to know how anyone really can without it coming down to personal opinion?
And don't worry *Jarrod*, I don't care about Major & The Minor one way or the other to get in a debate with you about it.
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> {quote:title=JarrodMcDonald wrote:}{quote}
> LOL..ooh, that gives me an idea for an anti-SUNSET BOULEVARD thread. But I actually do love that film. It's Billy Wilder's THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR that I think is _________ (fill in the blank)
Well I don't think The Major and the Minor has quite the same status as Sunset Blvd. I think it is a cute film but definitely not one of Wilder's best (it was his first though right?)
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> {quote:title=JarrodMcDonald wrote:}{quote}
> I'm heading to a rally for a CASABLANCA-free world. I take it you won't be in attendance? LOL
Probably not! I think an Anti-Casablanca free island might be more realistic. Don't dream too big.
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Thanks I am really looking forward to this one, especially since it's not available on DVD.
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> {quote:title=JarrodMcDonald wrote:}{quote}
> I feel like it's grasping at straws. CASABLANCA is not necessarily the gateway into classic movie lovers' paradise. Other Bogart, Bergman and Curtiz films could lead people to this one and make them think it's inferior. LOL
No it's not necessarily the gate way to classic films (it wasn't mine) but popular well regarded films like Casablanca tend to be a starting point for many people.
And if other films lead people to Casablanca instead and they think it's inferior they will think it's inferior. Maybe they will even think Casablanca is superior. There is no way to know right.
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I absolutely adore *Singing in the Rain* but it still will be interesting to read your thoughts.
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> {quote:title=JarrodMcDonald wrote:}{quote}
> Not exactly. There may be better, lesser known films, that could represent the universe of classic film better and create new life-long fans.
But Casablanca (and other well known classics) can introduce people to these "better" lesser known classics.
People who like Casablanca might seek other films with Bogart, Bergman, Rains, etc. They might seek out other films directed by Curtiz. In turn these films will introduce them to other stars & directors and so forth and so forth.
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> {quote:title=jamesjazzguitar wrote:}{quote}
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> Clearly Casablanca is enjoyed and have moved generation after generation. That says a lot right there.
I think this sums it up perfectly for me. People are free not to like Casablanca (nothing is going to be enjoyed by everyone) but the fact that still to this day so many people love Casablanca tells me it is definitely not overrated. Although I hate the term overrated with a passion.
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> {quote:title=CineMaven wrote:}{quote}
> Ha! I laugh Kino, b'cuz you're watching Shari Lewis on VHS tape as a kid, and I was sitting there, as a kid, at the foot of my bed actually watching her show, marvelling at Shari's questionable ven-
> triloquism. She was cute as a button too with her redhair done up in a ponytail.
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LOL
Well I actually watched her show on the regular TV too, it might have been a much later one than the one you started with though. It was called Lamb Chop's Play Along. I think that was one of the final things she did before she passed away. "This is the song that doesn't end yes it goes on and on my friends. Some people started singing it not knowing what it was and they'll continue singing it forever just because..." (I still love that) 101 Things To Do was just a special I guess that was released direct to video. But I was born in the early 80's and I know she was around well before that.
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> {quote:title=CineMaven wrote:}{quote}
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> May I also please mention my deep and abiding love for Lamb Chop and Shari Lewis. My first crush, Lamb Chop...so cuddly and cute.
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Me too I love Shari Lewis and Lamb Chop. I used to have a VHS tape of one of her specials called 101 things to do. I seriously burned that tape out I watched it so many times as a kid.
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I haven't caught at lot of the Ginger films so far this month (either because I saw them already or didn't have the time) but I did manage to catch *Vivacious Lady* & *Bachelor Mother* today and while I wasn't expecting much I ended up enjoying both quite a bit. I guess neither are anything amazing but they both were really cute films (ignoring the implausibility of the baby storyline) And besides Ginger it was nice to get Charles Coburn in both films. ''
And Jimmy Stewart & David Niven were both enjoyable leading men (Jimmy is so adorable in his 1930's roles).
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> {quote:title=MissGoddess wrote:}{quote}
> My favorite seasons for Hitch (so far) are one and three, most of the shows are terrific. I love the very first one, "Revenge", with Vera Miles and in Season Three, "The Glass Eye" with Jessica Tandy. Season Three also has "Lamb to the Slaughter", which is really good and highly rated.
Thanks very much for the recommendations. I think the earliest seasons are available on IMDB so I am going to have to check these out when I have the time.
Oh and speaking of *I Love Lucy* episodes while I do love the classic chocolate factory & Lucy does a commercial episode, my favorite I Love Lucy ep is from the 2nd season when she finds out she is pregnant and tries to tell Ricky but keeps failings in her attempt. I think this type of storyline has been done quite often but this was probably the first and I just love how Lucy finally gets to tell Ricky with him singing that sweet song in the nightclub for a Father that turns out to be him. There was a part where Desi was really emotional (since Lucille Ball really was pregnant) and the band members had to shot out one of Desi's lines to remind him. Anyways I just think it's one of the sweetest moments on Television.
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Oh although the *X-Files* is not exactly classic TV I love that show too. I think that was my first TV obsession. Not sure what my favorite episode is (because there are so many good ones) but I definitely prefer the stand alone MOTW episodes to the mytharc ones.
I also need to see more *Hitchcock Presents* episodes. When I was a kid they came on Nick at Nite but I was sort of too young to appreciate them (they scared me a bit). A lot of the episodes are freely available on IMDB so I think I am going to have to check some out. Anyone have any must see recommendations?
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Yep that's the one I love that dance sequence so much (although I still need to see the full film).
Buster Keaton's SHERLOCK JR. & THE NAVIGATOR
in Films and Filmmakers
Posted
Sigh I just don't understand why they have to have Silent Sunday start so late. Well I guess Midnight isn't too late but of the two Sherlock Jr is the one I already saw and I am not sure if I can stay up till 1:00 for The Navigator.
Why not start Silent Sunday at 11:00 on the East Coast (8:00 on the West Coast) that seems more fair to everyone. Or even 10:00 on the East Coast (7:00 on the West Coast) .
I love Silent films but TCM's schedule almost guarantees I can't watch them on there. I can't enjoy them that late and I don't have a way to record them (well I have a VCR but it's not that reliable).